Russians predict further weakening of ruble against dollar - VCIOM

UFA, 15 January 2016. /Bashinform News Agency, Ksenia Kalinina/. According to data by the Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM), Russians predict further weakening of the ruble against the dollar.

Late last year expectations for the position of the national currency changed for worse. According to the respondents, in November, the forecast average price of the dollar in three months was 69 rubles (at the actual rate fixed by the Central Bank on the last weekend of the month – at 66 rubles), in December — already 76 rubles (at the actual rate at 70 rubles).

During 2015 the share of Russians who keep their savings in rubles ranged within 50-58%, and in December it was 52%. There is still a few who hold savings in dollars and euros — according to the latest data 5% and 3%, respectively. Statisticians say that the greenback is slightly more often selected by citizens with higher incomes than Russians on average (12%). 43% of the citizens do not have financial savings at all. These are mainly people from the countryside with primary or secondary education and below average income.